Anushka Yadav
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced giving more help to businessmen and students under the wage subsidy program. He says he’ll be attending this afternoon’s cabinet meeting in person.
“Job numbers will come out tomorrow,” said Trudeau. “It’s going to be a hard day.”
PM Trudeau announced temporary changes to the Canada Summer Jobs program that will help employers hire summer staff and provide young Canadians access to the jobs they need during this unforeseen crisis.
The program is expected to create up to 70,000 jobs for youth between 15 and 30 years of age.
The changes include up to 100 per cent boost to the wage subsidy. The end date for employment has been extended to Feb. 28, 2021, along with the inclusion of part-time jobs.
Trudeau said the employment opportunities will aid small businesses in delivering essential services. The program also allows employers to adapt their projects and job activities
“In these extraordinary times, we realize the impacts small businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and public sector employers have on our economy and our communities.
“This is why the Government of Canada has made changes to the Canada Summer Jobs program so that we can help employers help their communities through good quality, safe job placements for youth,” said minister of employment, workforce development and disability inclusion Carla Qualtrough.
Under the program, companies are also required to show a 15 per cent decline in revenue in March in comparison to what they made in January and February.
Trudeau said the government aims to have the wage subsidy program running in three weeks.
Canada has a total count of 18,465 COVID-19 positive cases with 402 deaths and 4,333 recovered cases.
Toronto Mayor John Tory reminded residents of the $500 fine resulting from littering in the city.
Currently, Ontario has 4,347 confirmed coronavirus cases and 174 deaths.
The Italian government declared a national emergency blocking ports for refugees and migrants due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The national emergency will expire by July 31. However, the government may have to extend it.
“For the entire duration of the national health emergency caused by the spread of the COVID-19 virus, Italian ports cannot guarantee the requisites needed to be classified and defined as a place of safety,” said the decree.
Currently, Italy has 139,422 confirmed COVID-19 cases with a death toll of 17,669.
In the second position worldwide in coronavirus count, Spain reported 757 new deaths due to the pandemic.
The health ministry assured the citizens that despite the new deaths, the pace of the proportional daily increase in the death toll has slowed down slightly.
Spain has 146,690 confirmed cases with 14,673 deaths.
It has been three weeks since France’s lockdown and it is expected to end by April 15.
“The expansion (of coronavirus) is slowing so much that we might soon reach a flattening of the curve…and that’s most certainly due to the lockdown’s effect”, said Philippe.
However, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe does not think the time to lift the restrictions has come yet.
The country has 78,167 confirmed cases with a death toll of 10,328.